Urbana - Sowles Hotel

"Members of the Champaign County Preservation Alliance hope to turn an abandoned but historic downtown hotel into a new business that will draw visitors to the city.

Demolition began this week on the rear extension of the Sowles Hotel, a three-story brick structure in the 100 block of Scioto Street that dates to the early 1800s. Once renovated, the front portion of the hotel can be a centerpiece highlighting the growth occurring downtown, said Rich Colvin, president of the CCPA.

“That building is crucial for the economic development downtown,” Colvin said. “There’s been a revitalization."

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-news/group-tries-to-save-old-hotel-1388524.html